Old Dominion fast start tops Richmond 45-37

One week after a fast finish overwhelmed a nationally-ranked opponent, Old Dominion's quick start was the difference in a game that deceptively appeared over midway through the third quarter.

The fourth-ranked Monarchs squandered most of a big lead, yet displayed enough poise late to hold off Richmond 45-37 Saturday at Robins Stadium.

"Kind of mixed emotions with this one," ODU coach Bobby Wilder said. "I'm excited that we won the game, disappointed with how it finished."

Indeed, the fourth-ranked Monarchs (5-0, 2-0 CAA) built a 28-point lead on the strength of its running game, defense and an efficient, if unspectacular, performance from quarterback Taylor Heinicke.

A combination of ODU mistakes and big plays from Richmond shifted momentum, however, and nearly allowed the Spiders to climb all the way back.

Doug Howell's 22-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, Heinicke's second pick of the game, sparked Richmond. Quarterback John Laub's touchdown plunge, and the ensuing extra point, with 6:40 remaining cut UR's deficit to 45-37.

From there, ODU and its assertive running game ran out the remainder of the clock, as the unbeaten Monarchs head into a bye week.

"I believe we just didn't keep being aggressive," Heinicke said. "I think we kind of laid down, with the lead we had. That's something that we're going to have to work on, just keep attacking."

Heinicke was off-the-charts effective in last week's record-setting 64-61 win against New Hampshire, throwing for 730 yards and amassing 791 yards in total offense. Against the Spiders, he completed 32 of 42 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns, along with the two picks, as Richmond's defense essentially dictated ODU's offensive strategy.

The Spiders employed only three defensive linemen and three linebackers, with five defensive backs — an attempt to get more speed on the field to combat ODU's perimeter weapons and to help compensate for ODU's go-go offensive pace. They dropped as many as seven and eight players into pass coverage, while mixing in the occasional blitz, which created lanes and opportunities for the Monarchs' running game.

ODU rushed for 232 yards, led by Angus Harper (97 yards) and Tyree Lee (70 yards). All three Monarchs' running backs averaged at least six yards per carry. The running game was most effective in the first 2 1/2 quarters as they led 45-17 after Lee's 7-yard touchdown run.

"I felt like the first half was the best half of football we played this year, as a team," Wilder said. "It was better than the second half (against) New Hampshire, because we didn't stop New Hampshire in the third quarter of that game. I thought our defense was very good in the first half. Richmond was not having any success running the ball. The tempo of our offense was excellent."

If Wilder was pleased with the first half and the final drive, Richmond counterpart Danny Rocco saw the first 30-40 minutes as his team's demise.

"I'm very disappointed in the fact that we didn't get off to a better start," Rocco said. "I certainly expected my football team to come out here and play with a little more focus, a little more intensity, execute a little bit better.

"We did not tackle well in the first half on defense, and I thought that was my biggest concern. I anticipated us being able to defend their run a lot better than we did."

UR's Laub threw for 191 of his career-high 339 yards in the second half, with versatile Ben Edwards (career-best 11 catches, 182 yards) often the primary target.

Penalties (11 for 115 yards), mistakes in execution, and Richmond's playmakers tightened the game in the final 20 minutes.

"It shouldn't have gotten to that point," Wilder said. "All due respect to Richmond, that was an Old Dominion issue to allow this thing to get to a one-score game."

ODU still ran 94 plays and piled up 592 yards. But the Monarchs totaled 408 yards in the first half. After scoring on their final six possessions of the first half, they scored on only one of six after halftime.

"From an Old Dominion perspective, there was not the same focus at that point," Wilder said. "I'll say this as humbly as I can, but if we're going to be in games where we're up as many points as we've been up in some of our games, you have to be able to handle that.

"You have to be able to continue to play the game with an aggressive mindset. That's something we've done very well to this point in the season, is we've been a very aggressive football team. I didn't feel the same way in the second half. … It just wasn't the same mindset from our team."